Local stocks are building on their solid rise at the end of last week, with gains across the major sectors.

The All Ordinaries Index was 37 points higher at 5,222 just before midday (AEDT), and the ASX 200 was 0.7 per cent higher at 5,205.

Resource stocks have been among the day’s best performers – BHP Billiton was just over 1 per cent higher and Rio Tinto was up 1.3 per cent.

Gold miner Newcrest had surged almost 5 per cent.

Among the banks, NAB was up almost 1.5 per cent, Westpac and Commonwealth Bank shares were 1.2 per cent stronger, and ANZ was just over 1 per cent higher.

JB Hi-Fi is trading ex-dividend today, and had fallen 3.5 per cent as a result of new investors no longer having access to its latest 55 cent dividend payment.

Telstra was up 1 per cent at $5.06 cents.

The Australian dollar was holding onto last week’s gains, buying 89.5 US cents.